Sharks start fast, cruise past struggling Canucks

Macklin Celebrini scored and set up three others as the visiting San Jose Sharks skated to a 5-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday night.

Will Smith scored and added two assists, and Adam Gaudette, Tyler Toffoli and John Klingberg had the other goals for San Jose, which improved to 10-4-0 in its last 14 games.

Sam Dickinson added a pair of assists, and Yaroslav Askarov made 23 saves for the Sharks, who are 13-12-0 on the road this season.

Tom Willander and Filip Hronek responded for the Canucks, who have dropped three straight. They are 1-12-2 in their past 15, and have just one victory through the first six games of their eight-game homestand.

Elias Pettersson and Jake DeBrusk each chipped in a pair of assists.

Kevin Lankinen allowed three goals on the Sharks' first six shots and was replaced by Nikita Tolopilo at 5:55 of the first period. Tolopilo stopped 25 of 27 shots.

The Sharks extended their lead to 5-1 on a power play 28 seconds into the third as Klingberg put a wrist shot past a screened Tolopilo.

Hronek pulled the Canucks to 5-2 on a power play at 9:15 of the third, one-timing a Pettersson pass past Askarov.

Smith gave San Jose a 4-1 lead on a power play at 9:07 of the second period, snapping a short side past Tolopilo.

San Jose scored three goals on six shots in a 4:04 span to open a 3-1 lead after 20 minutes.

Thirty-six seconds after Willander opened the scoring for the Canucks at the 1:15 mark, Celebrini one-timed a Smith feed blocker-side past Lankinen.

Gaudette gave the Sharks their first lead of the night at 4:43, finishing off a tic-tac-toe passing play with William Eklund and Celebrini.

The Sharks doubled their lead 72 seconds later as Toffoli one-timed Alexander Wennberg's pass between the pads of Lankinen.

Tuesday was the third of the teams' four meetings this season. San Jose won the first two contests -- 3-2 at home on Nov. 28, and 6-3 on Dec. 27 on the road. The Pacific Division rivals conclude the season series on April 11 in San Jose.

--Field Level Media